Furniture caster



2, 1930. T. h nu m, JR' 1,783,873 FURNITURE cAsT'E Filed Juhe 21. 192s I Patented Dec. 2, 1930 UNITED STATES" THOMAS P. DUNCAN JR., OF NEWPORT NEWS/VIRGINIA rUiaNITUn-n cnsrnn 7 Application filed June 21,

This invention relates to the class of furniture attachments and pertains particularly to a new and improved type of caster.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a caster of soft pliable material designed to prevent marring or scratching of a floor surface and also de' signed to move or slip over the floor surface without sound.

The invention broadly contemplates the provision of a sleeve body preferably formed of metal, which tightly grips a fibrous body such for example as a section of soft twisted rope, the ends of the body projectingbeyond the ends of the encasing sleeve, one of the projecting ends being materially longer than the other and being frayed out to provide a bushy head or dome for contact with the floor surface when the sleeve is projected into the bore usually provided in the leg of a fied so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claim.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view in side elevation ofthe caster structure shown in position in a leg of an article of'furniture;

Figure 2 is a central longitudinal section through the caster structure;

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken'upon the line 33 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral 1 indicates a sleeve body which is preferably formed of relatively heavy metal and which isrolled into this form from a 1958. set-a1 No. 287,218.

sheet of metal, aboutaqstrand oftwisted rope 2. *This body of twisted rope may be 7 of any fibrous material such as hemp or cotton and is tightly clamped in the sleeve, each of its ends projecting beyond one end of the sleeve, one of the ends projecting farther than the other.

At the short projecting end of the rope strands, the sleeve is split at diametrically opposite points, as'indicated at 3, and the, portions 4: thus formed are bent inwardly to more tightly grip the rope body 2 as shown.

The adjacent end portion of the rope is then frayed out leaving the small tuft 5.

At the opposite or outer end of the sleeve, the extending or projecting portion of the rope body 2 is frayed and spread to form the tuft 6. This tuft or dome projects beyond the lower end of the leg of the article of furniture in which the caster is positioned and forms a resilient cushion between the leg and the floor. 7 r 7 When the sleeve 1 is forced into the bore 7 which is usuallyformed in the end of each leg of an article of furniture, for the reception of caster sleeves, the tufted inner end will become jammed againstthe wall'at the inner end of the bore and some of the strands will be wedged between the sleeve and adjacent side wall of the bore. In this manner the strands of the body will be held against being pulled out and the wedged strands will maintain the sleeve in position in the event that the bore is largerthan necessary.

If desired the outer end of the sleeve may be provided with the laterally surrounding flange 8, by means of which inward move-V ment of the sleeve will be limited, and under which a tool may be engaged for removing the sleeve.

From theforegoing description, it will be readily seen that a caster of the character herein described will efficiently support articles of furniture without scratching or marring the floor surface and will permit move&

ment of the furniture without noise.

I claim Y A furniture caster comprising a metal cylinder having oppositely disposed longitudinal slits formed in one end thereof, said slitr ted end of the cylinder being adapted for extension into a bore in the leg of an article of furniture, a flange formed about the other end of the cylinder for engagement against the furniture leg, and a twisted body of fibrous material extending through said cylinder and projecting slightly beyond the slitted end, those portions of the cylinder formed by slitting the same being compressed to grip the body therein, the other end of said fibrous body being frayed and tufted toform a supporting dome, that end of the body adjacent the slits of the cylinder being adapted to be wedged between the adjacent cylinder end and the inner wall of a bore in which the cylinder is positioned.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

THOMAS P. DUNCAN, JR. 

